Marinette finds out who Adrien really is
by lexy.allen
Summary: After an argument between Marinette and Adrien, Ladybug accidentally finds out Chat Noirs secret identity. How is she going to tell him? Is she going to tell him?


After being left out of the conversation by Nino and Alya - yet again - Marinette decided to just go home. She could tell that the two didn't mean to leave her out, but it wasn't like they really had anything in common as a group. Yes, they were friends, but the only common interest they had was knowing Marinette's feelings for Adrien.

Positive and negative, that is.

On her way home, she realized that she left her textbook for her history assignment at school. With an annoyed sigh, she turned around to go retrieve it from her locker.

Everything felt … different, in the building. There weren't and people there, other than a fencing class. Knowing Adrien wasn't there, she didn't stay to watch. There weren't many days she felt so awful, but today she was feeling it 100 percent.

 _Maybe he's not here because of me._ She thought. _Was it really that bad?_

"Marinette, is everything okay? You're kind of upset today and you just seem off." Tikki asked, giving Marinette a small, yet pointed look.

"Yeah, Tikki. I'm just kind of tired. You know after a long week of fighting akuma's." Marinette lied, trying to not let Tikki see her this way.

"Come on, Marinette. Just because you got into an argument with Adrien doesn't mean anything serious. He didn't mean it, I promise." Tikki said, referring to a heart-wrenching conversation she overheard while hiding away in Marinette's purse.

"No, Tikki. He was seriously upset about it. He's not at fencing practice, and we both know how his father would react to knowing that. I don't know how I'm going to be able to look at him tomorrow." Marinette said with a sigh, closing her locker.

"Easy, just don't. Think of Chat Noir." Tikki suggested.

"That's true. Chat Noir and I would never have this sort of argument." Marinette says coolly as she walks into her parents bakery. She waved hello to her parents and went up to her room. As she lay on her bed, she began to think about the argument she had with Adrien earlier, wondering why she would ever listen to someone like Chloe.

"Hey, Marinette, wait for a second." Adrien yells. Marinette doesn't turn around, she just stops walking. After hearing everything he thinks of her, _truly_ thinks of her, she didn't want to be near him, let alone uphold a conversation.

"Annoying, stupid, clumsy, actually ridiculous how you actually think he likes you." Chloe had said, Sabrina nodding her head along to what she was saying. Normally Marinette wouldn't listen to a thing the spoiled brat would say, but it kind of made sense. Adrien _had_ been avoiding her more and more lately, giving her small, curt responses when she would ask what was wrong. Marinette didn't know what to think.

"Marinette, is everything okay? You practically sprinted out of class when Mme. Bustier said we were free to leave." Adrien asked as he got closer to her.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She said, starting to turn away. "But don't pretend like you care, either. I know what you said about me." Marinette finished, eyes filling with tears as he grabbed her arm.

"Why are you crying? I thought it'd be a good thing for you." Adrien said, completely oblivious to what was going on in Marinette's mind.

"A good thing? You _seriously_ think that what you said about me was a _good_ thing?" Marinette said, with a tear rolling down her face. She cursed herself for letting it slip, but she stayed looking at Adrien.

"I would assume so, yes. But I don't think we're talking about the same thing. Who told you what I said?" He asked, with his hand still on her arm.

"Chloe did. If you don't like me, Adrien, you can just tell me. I thought we were better friends than that, but I honestly don't care at this point. I'm done with this conversation. I'm going home." Marinette stated, fully crying at this point, and she turned to go home.

"You may be done with it, but I am not. I never said I didn't like you, Marinette, and you should know better than to trust what Chloe says. She would 100 percent lie to hurt you." Says Adrien. He began to talk after a deep breath, but Marinette help her hand up, telling him to stop.

"Look Adrien, you're right. I shouldn't believe Chloe. She's a liar, and a spoiled brat who hates me." She took a deep breath before continuing, because she didn't really want to do this, but she felt she had too.

"I don't think I can be friends with someone who is friends with Chloe. All she does is lie about me and my friends. I'm sorry Adrien, but I don't know if i can do this anymore." She finished, and then turned to walk away. At the last second, she glanced back at Adrien, hoping he'd tell her that he was sorry and he didn't want to be friends with her anymore, either.

But, what she saw instead broke her heart.

"Marinette, I…" He began, his arm extended to reach out to her. She had already taken a step, and she was too far out of his reach. He put his arm down, tears filling his eyes. They disappeared as quick as they showed up. He saw Nino and Alya come up behind Marinette, and he wasn't sure it was because they were taking her side, or if they were just now entering the conversation.

"You know what? You're right. Chloe is a liar and a brat. But that doesn't mean you take it out on me. We are - I mean were - better friends than that. But it doesn't matter at this point, does it?" He said, then turned and went to his limo where Nathalie and Gorilla were waiting for him. Nino called after him, but Alya told him to let Adrien go cool off before anyone talked to him. The pair began asking Marinette questions she didn't feel like answering.

After everything that had happened in the day, Marinette didn't think she could deal with an akuma. But that didn't stop HawkMoth from making one. It didn't seem like Chat Noir wanted to be there, either. He flirted with her as usual, but it was half-hearted, and he didn't make as many puns as usual. (She was sort of happy about that. He used waaaay too many it felt like)

"Chat, are you okay?" Ladybug asked him after they finished off their akuma of the day.

"Honestly? No." He had said. She looked at him, and saw his green eyes fill with tears.

"What's wrong?" She asked. After about 30 seconds of no response, she started again. "Come on, you can tell me." He kept his head down, and his mouth opened and closed a few times before words started coming out.

"This person I'm friends with is really upset with me. I haven't done anything wrong. And I'm 100 percent positive that I haven't. I was going to ask her if she wanted to go hang out with me one day, and I told our friend about it. Another girl that i'm friends with - or at least, was friends with until all this happened - told her something and I'm not really sure what it was. I can't ask her - the one who is upset with me - about it because she told me she doesn't want to be friends anymore. I was going to talk to her about it, and she started crying, then she ran away. I tried to call after her, and it didn't work, and I got frustrated and yelled at her. I want to apologize for everything that happened, but I can't because I _yelled_ at her. Which, don't get me wrong, doesn't seem like a big deal. And it isn't. But she didn't deserve to get yelled at. Especially because I think…" His voice faltered, but he never finished what he was going to say. "I just need to figure out how to fix things between us."

 _This sounds a lot like the argument I had with Adrien earlier._ Ladybug thought, _but this isn't about me. Quit being so self-absorbed, Marinette, Chat Noir needs you._

"She never told you why she was so upset? She just said 'i'm done with this' and ran off?" Ladybug asked, ignoring the first warning beep of her earrings.

"No. She just started crying and stood there while I yelled at her. I wish I could take it back. I care about her just as much as i do you, Bugaboo." Chat Noir said, weak smile falling from his face. "But really, I don't know how to fix this. She's really special to me, and I want things to go back to the way they were before.

"She really means that much to you?" Ladybug asked, as another warning beep took place in her earrings. She processed what that meant, and started to walk away. "Can we meet at the Eiffel Tower tonight at 9:30? I have about a minute until you find out who I really am." Ladybug didn't wait for a response to swing away.

"See you then, m'Lady." Chat Noir said, quietly.

Later that night, the two met at the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug showed up about 10 minutes early, underestimating the amount of time it would take her to get there, but also wanting time to look at the city before her and Chat Noir sat down to talk about his girl problems.

That shouldn't make her jealous, yet it did. She didn't want to picture Chat Noir as a civilian, with friends, with a girlfriend, but she did. Whenever he joked about showing who they really were, she always said no, without a doubt. But after hearing about his girl problems? Ladybug didn't want to watch him get his heartbroken by some girl who didn't deserve him. She was deep in thought when Chat showed up.

"Hey, Ladybug. What's on your mind?" He asked, plopping down next to her. She didn't want to tell him the truth - she's wondering who he really is, if they know each other, what he's into, other than her.

"Just looking at the skyline. Still have the girl on your mind?" She asked, directing his attention back to himself.

"Not until you mentioned her again." Chat said with a groan as he layed back. "I can't her out of my mind. The tears filling her eyes as she watched me get angry with her, the way her face was pale but she was so angry with me. Or the way she had a tear rolling down her face as she told me she was done with the conversation. I think I really screwed up this time, LB. I want her to be there when I need her, like she was before I ruined things." He said, emotion coursing through every word he said. He must really love her to talk this highly of her.

"But I really think I just need to apologize. I know I screwed up, but I need her more than she realises. Do you think she would forgive me?" Chat asked, his green eyes staring her in her blue ones.

"I do, actually. I don't know you in your civilian form, but I know that if you're anything like how you are as Chat Noir, she would be stupid to not forgive you." She said.

"Oh, thank god. I can't deal with her being mad at me. She cares about me more than any of my other friends ever have. I think. I haven't had very many." He said, looking at the buildings in the dark. Ladybug would have been worried at this comment, but she heard the smile in his voice, and decided to change the conversation a little bit.

"Good. But, now I need some advice from you. A girl - a horrible person who lies all the time and hates me in my civilian form - told me that the guy I like thinks all these awful things about me, and I stupidly believed her. I got into a huge argument with him, and then we mutually decided to just stop being friends. I wouldn't have normally believed her, either. But, what she said made sense. He's been avoiding me lately, and giving short responses, so what else should I think?" She said to Chat Noir, who was staring at her. She didn't notice, but she took a deep breath and continued to talk to him. Whatever she said after didn't matter to him, though. Watching her, he could tell that her heart was breaking just from remembering the argument. What had happened during it? And why does she love someone who isn't him?

"M'Lady, are you crying?" Chat asked, slowly inching closer to her to attempt to comfort his distressed friend.

"I feel awful, Chatton. I want to apologize to him, and tell him I didn't mean it, but he hates me now."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you. No one could."

"You weren't there! He practically said 'don't ever talk to me again!"

"Even if that was true, which it isn't, whoever this idiot is, he doesn't deserve you. You're amazing, kind, intelligent, swift, and above all beautiful," Chat said, grabbing her hand. "I love you, Ladybug. He shouldn't have hurt you this way, and I'm sorry that he did, but I never would."

Ladybug just looked at him. She then processed what was happening, not wanting to hurt his feelings. She thought she loved him, but how could she be so sure when just earlier today, Adrien had told her to leave him alone?

"I'm sorry, Chat Noir, I can't do this. Not after today." Ladybug said to him as he got up and flew away. She heard his yelling in the distant background, but she didn't look back. She knew she wouldn't be able to see him anyway. Not with the tears in her eyes.

While Marinette thought back on her argument with Adrien, she also thought on Chat's argument with his mystery girl. Both were vaguely similar, and she wanted to ask him if there was anymore to the story before she thought better of it. She knew if she found out anymore, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from asking about his civilian life, and he was always doing that to her. Marinette loved to talk to him, but these sorts of things bugged her a little bit. She didn't want him to know who she really was.

Marinette couldn't get the idea that something was missing through both of the disagreements, though. She finally cracked about a day later.

"Tikki, I think Chat Noir is hiding something from me." Marinette said in her room. Tikki had just woken up from a few hours worth of sleep, and Marinette was getting ready for school. Today was a rare occasion where she wasn't late, and she wanted to make the most out of it.

"I don't know, his argument sounded so much like mine and Adriens. Though I could just be so self-absorbed that all i can think about is myself. I'm scared Tikki. What if I'm turning into Chloe, of all people?!" Marinette continued to think out loud. Tikki hadn't said anything since they - or rather, Marinette - had started talking.

"How about you just -" Tikki started, getting cut off by Marinette.

"Follow him! What a great idea, Tikki! Tonight after patrol, I'll just follow him back to his house, or wherever he sleeps." Marinette said, grabbing her school bag and motioning for Tikki to follow her.

"That isn't what I was going to say at all, Marinette." She said as she flew into Marinettes hand bag.

"I know. I like my idea better, though." Marinette finished, trying to devise a plan to help her follow Chat Noir tonight.

She thought about it so much that she didn't realise that someone was talking to her until they tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey, Marinette? Can we talk?" Adrien asked, with his hand lingering on her shoulder.

"Tomorrow night, at 8 in the park? By the swings. I have plans with Alya, and it's something really important and it can't wait at all. See you then!" Marinette said, speed-walking to get to Alya. She never gave Adrien a chance to answer, but hoped he would have said yes if she would have.

That night while they were on patrol, she was still thinking about it when he showed up.

"Hello, m'lady. Another long day?" He asked her, and she just nodded. They watched over Paris for about an hour, and then they finally decided to go home. Chat left first, and she waited about 30 seconds before she followed. She followed him past the Eiffel Tower, towards the Agreste Mansion.

The Agreste Mansion?

She went to a part of the window where she knew he couldn't see her. (Not from her being a creepy weirdo, but from where the wall covered her) She saw a flash of green light, and then Adrien walking out of the bathroom, towards the window. Ladybug dropped in a hurry, and she flew down to the outside of the manner.

Adrien Agreste took Chat Noir's place in the green light. What does that mean? Adrien is Chat Noir?

Holy crap. Adrien _is_ Chat Noir.

After spending so much time with Chat Noir as Ladybug, she began to see him as nothing more than her best friend. She loved him, sometimes she wanted to hit him, but all together she wished that they knew each other in their regular forms.

Now, she knew who he was, and he didn't know who she was. The exact opposite of what he wanted.

But, Marinette saw Adrien as this perfect person, beautiful, an amazing friend. How were they supposed to get past this if Marinette can't even look at him without picturing the green light surrounding him?

Easy. They wouldn't. Marinette was going to tell Adrien she knew who he was. And then tell him the biggest secret she's ever had to keep.

While walking to school the next morning, she drug her feet. She had written herself "How to avoid Adrien: A Go To List." to help with today, but it didn't seem to be helping when he ran up to her as soon as he got out of the limo.

"Hey, Marinette! Are we still on for tonight?" He asked her innocently. She just nodded and then hurried away from him, desperate to get to tonight and then be done with it.

The day flew by, and Marinette finally was able to tell Adrien the truth. She had been nervous all day, and she finally had talked herself down from her scared high. They were meeting in about 10 minutes, but she wanted to be early to grab a quick frozen custard from the stand in the park. She really loved them.

As she entered the park, so was Adrien from the other side. They waved to each other, and then he walked to the swings while she grabbed them some frozen goodness. She grabbed him plain vanilla, which she knew was his favorite based upon the times they ate it together during school.

As soon as she walked over to him, he began apologising. She wasn't 100 percent listening, but she knew he was telling her that he shouldn't have spoken to her that way. Chat Noir had practiced his apology on her a few times last night, and she thought it was perfect. After she said her very similar apology, she finally sat down next to him.

"So, now that that's out of the way. I have something I need a favor with. Okay, so I have this friend. Well, more than one, but that's beside the point. Anyway, I have this friend, who has a huge secret. Like, life destroying, super important. He doesn't know I know, and I don't know how to tell him but I don't want to ruin our friendship. It's such a huge secret it's like, bigger than an elephant! I'm so worried about how to tell him. Normally, I would ask Alya for help, but I don't think she knows the mind of a boy as well as you do. So, what do you think?" She rambled on and on for a few minutes, stopping to take a deep breath.

"How long have you know?"

"Three days."

"Not a long time."

"Long enough to tear me apart from the inside."

"True."

"What should I do?"

"Just say: hey -enter his name here- I know something about you that is so big, so eye-opening, that I need to tell you. But it can't, can not, on any circumstances, change our friendship. Got it? Then tell him what you know." Adrien said, not really understanding how significant his statement was to her.

"Do you think it'll work?" Marinette asked, still a little unsure.

"Of course it will, Mari." He said confidently. "And if it doesn't, then he's an idiot and you don't want him in your life anyway. Can i say that I am so happy that we're friends again?"

"Yeah, me too. I really like you Adrien." She said, not realising what she had said to him yet. "I mean, I, uh, really like _hanging out_ with you, Adrien!" She stammered, trying to cover up her embarrassment, she shoveled frozen custard into her mouth. There was a long pause, and then she continued.

"Hey Adrien?"

"Yes?"

"I know something about you that is so big, so eye-opening, that I need to tell you. But it can't, can not, on any circumstances, change our friendship. Got it?"

"Mari, what are you-"

"I know you're Chat Noir." She interrupted, finally looking up at him, but it didn't matter. He looked right down, and his face was getting red. It didn't matter that she knew, but she had known for three days, and she just now decided to tell him? What fun was that?

"Three days, huh?"

"Yeah. i'm sorry I didn't tell you that I knew earlier, but I didn't know how to do it."

"It's fine. I would have cracked in like 10 seconds if I found out who Ladybug was." Adrien said with a wishful tone.

"Actually, I am Ladybug." Mari said. It was her turn to look down. "That's how i figured out it was you."

"So, you know I love you?"

"No, you love Ladybug, just like how Marinette loves Adrien." She whispered.

"No, Marinette," He said as her grabbed her hand. "I love you. Every single miraculous part of you. In the mask and without it. Whether you're Marinette or Ladybug doesn't matter to me. I still love you, and you're still the girl I originally fell for."

Marinette didn't know how to respond, but her face sure did get red after hearing that.

"Now, whats this about you loving me?"


End file.
